Changeable ornamental setting



April 27, 1965 owrrz 3,180,112

CHANGEABLE ORNAMENTAL SETTING Filed June 26, 1961 INVENTOR firm wz'i 7 I67 I B /w%4,,g 9 m 72 76 0 78 Y ATTORNEKS United States Patent 3,180,112CHANGEAELE QRNAMENTAL SEG Herman Lefirowitz, Hotel Wentworth, 59 W. 46thSt, New York, FLY. Filed .iune 26, 1961, Ser. No. 123,927 2 tClaims.(Cl. 63-29) This invention relates to jewelry, and more particularly, toan improved construction for interchangeable jewelry.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No.101,165, filed April 6, 1961, now abandoned.

Priorly, numerous forms of jewelry construction have been employed forthe purpose of removably mounting the head of a ring, or the body of abrooch or earring. The head of a ring may be defined as that portionwhich is connected to the shank, or finger-engaging portion, andsupports the principal stone. In the instance of a solitaire, the headsupports the gem relative to the shank.

Prior art forms of interchangeable ring construction are shown in Rohde,Patent No. 501,365 and Berlepsch, Patent No. 466,287, and De l-lolimannet al., Patent No. 2,316,225. Further, attempts have been made in theart of ring construction to provide an apron which can be inserted inthe shank and moved outwardly to straddle the shank of a solitm're orengagement ring to create the illusion of a different style of ring. Bystyle is meant the various shapes and orientations of aprons relative tothe shanks, which combinations and orientations present a distinctappearance to convert the solitaire to a costume piece or cocktail ring.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved jewelryconstruction which can be readily converted from an engagement ringstyle of jewelry to a cocktail ring.

It is another object of this invention to provide improved jewelryconstruction employing a locking engagement between the head member andbase member with an apron intermediate these members to define anarticle of jewelry which can be readily converted from one style toanother.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved jewelryconstruction tor readily converting from one style of jewelry to anotherby employing as a locking engagement, between the head member and basemember, a pair of coacting screws which lock the head member to the basemember securely to retain the intermediately positioned apron in apredetermined position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a jewelryconstruction with a head member which is removably mounted on the shank,or base member, an intermediate apron, and means for locking the headmember to the shank member, which head member retains the apron in apredetermined position relative to the shank.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved jewelryconstruction including a head member which is removably mountedv on thebase member, or V shank, and an intermediate apron, which apron includesa plurality of means for engaging the shank in any one of apredetermined number of positions, thereby permitting the jewelry to beconverted from one style to another by loosening the head on the shank,rotating the intermediate apron, and tightening the head on the shank,or alternatively, by removing the head member, substituting a difierentapron, and replacing the head member.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an article ofjewelry with disengageable members for converting from one style ofjewelry to another, one of which members has a locking member engagedthereto,

which locking member may be released from its'locking 3,188,112 PatentedApr. 27, 1965 "ice position but retained by the other member to preventthe loss of the locking member.

it is another object of this invention to provide an improved jewelryconstruction in which a head member is disengageably mounted on a basemember for retaining an apron intermediate the head member and the basemember, which base member has a threaded locking member retained thereinsuch that the locking member may threadably engage the head member tolock a head member in position and when the locking member is disengagedfrom the head member the locking member will be retained in the basemember.

Briefly, in accordance with aspects of this invention, an article ofjewelry is provided with a shank member, a head member removably mountedon the shank, an apron having an aperture therein to receive a threadedportion of the head and means for locking the head on the shank, whichlocking means advantageously include a screw threaded in the oppositedirection from the threaded portion of the head to lock the head on theshank, and the apron, including means for preventing relative rotationbetween the apron and the combination of head and shank to retain theapron in a predetermined position.

In accordance with other aspects of this invention, an article ofjewelry is provided with a base member, a head member removably mountedon the base member, an apron having an aperture therein to receive aportion of the head member and means connected to the base member forlocking the head member on the base member, which locking meansadvantageously. include means for retaining the locking member in thebase member when the locking member is disengaged from the head member.This last mentioned means may include numerous forms of construction;for example, the locking means may be in the form of a bolt with aflange intermediate the bolt and a plate secured to the base memberafter the locking member has been placed in the locking slot whichplatehas an aperture therein sufiicient for the passage of a tooltherethrough for rotation of the locking means, which aperture issmaller than the diameter of the flange on the locking means therebyretaining the locking means in the base member. In another form ofconstruction the means for retaining the locking means in the basemember includes a.plate having a threaded aperture therein, which plateis secured to the base member to permit the locking member to passthrough the threaded aperture to retain the head member in its positionon the base member. p

According to one illustrative embodiment of this invention, a headmember is provided with an elongated portion threaded on its. outersurface to engage a threaded aperture defined in the shank member, theelongated portion having an aperture therein threaded in the oppositedirection from the threaded outer portion, a screw which threadablyengages the last mentioned threads, and an apron having an aperturetherein of suficient diameter to receive the elongated portion of thehead member, the apron having a flange which extends be-' tween thehead. and the shank. .The apron includes means for engaging the shankat. points remote from the head to secure the apron in a predeterminedposition relative to the shank when the locking screw is insertedthrough the aperture in the shank and rotated until its shoulder engagesthe cooperating shoulder on the shank.

section is provided with an elongated portionwhich is threaded on itsouter surface to engage the threaded portion of the shank member, whicharticle includes an apron having an aperture therein of polygonalconfiguration for co-operating with the outer surface of theintermediate portion of the head whereby the apron is prevented fromrotating relative to the head when the apron is positioned to co-operatewith the head and the head is moved into threaded engagement with theshank. 'Advantageously, the elongated portion of the head may beprovided with a recess which is threaded in an opposite directionrelative to the threads on the outer portion of the elongation, whichconstruction further includes a screw which threadably engages thethreaded recess and is rotated until the head of the screw engages arecess in the shank.

In accordance with still another illustrative embodiment of thisinvention, an article of jewelry is provided with a shank, or basemember, a head member connected to the shank member, an apronintermediate the head member and the shank member, and locking means forlocking the head in engagement with the shank, or base member, whichlocking member is prevented from separating from the shank, or basemember. The means by which this separation is prevented may include aplate secured to the base member over the locking member, which platehas an aperture therein whereby the locking member may be rotated by asuitable tool inserted through the aperture, while the plate preventsthe locking member from being lost.

These and various other objects and features of the invention will bemore clearly understood from a reading of the detailed description ofthe invention in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one illustrative ment of this inventionshowing in full lines one position of the apron and showing in dottedlines other positions of the apron relative to the shank;

, FIGURE 2 is a view in elevation, partly in section to an enlargedscale, of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 taken along the lines 22 of FIGURE.1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the apron of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view of FIGURE 2, partly in section, of across section of the shank portion and an end elevation view ofv theapron taken along the line 4--4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a partial view in elevation of the embodiment of FIGURE 1; a

, FIGURE 6 is a view in elevation, partly in section, of anotherillustrative embodiment of this invention;

, FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view of FIGURE 6 taken along the line 7-7showing a cross section view of the shank portion and an end elevationview of the apron;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the apron of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 9 is a side view in elevation, partly in section, of a piece ofjewelry showing still another illustrative embodiment of this invention.7

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is depicted a plan view'of this noveljewelry construction in which a shank member 10 is provided with aremovably mounted head 12 and an apron 14 retained in position betweenthe head 12 and the shank 10. The apron 14 is shown in full lines in aposition in which its major axis is parallel to the shank 10-. Thedotted lines 16-indicate a position of the apronwith its larger-axistransverse, or atright angles, relative to the shank. The dotted lines18 show a position of the apron. 14 in which the major axis of the aprondefines a 45 angle relative to the shank 1%. In its full line position,the apron 14 is shown in one style of jewelry while dotted linepositions 16 and 18 define examples of other styles. The details of theco-operation of the elements are best seen in FIGURE 2 which shows, toan enlarged scale, a view in elevation, partly in section of theembodiment of FIGURE 1 taken along the line 2-2. As therein depicted,the head 12 tapers from the gem embodito a circular base 19. Extendingfrom the circular base 19 is an elongated portion 21, threaded on itsouter surface to threadably engage suitable threads 23 on the shank 1h.

The apron 14 includes a relatively thin flange 25 which has an aperture27 therein to receive the elongated portion 21 of the head 12.Advantageously, the circular portion 19 of the head 12 engages the wall29 of the apron 14. Also advantageously, the apron 14 is provided with arecess 33 (best seen in FIGURE 4) which engages the shank Iii to preventrelative rotation of the apron 14- with respect to the shank 11 As bestseen in FIG- URE 2, these recesses 33 are provided on opposite sides ofthe apron with respect to the head .12. While these notches are shown inthe periphery of the apron 14, they may be located at any point remotefrom the head 12.

After the head 12 is rotated until the shoulder 35 engages the fiange 25and forces it into abutting relationship with a flattened portion 37 ofthe shank 10, the head is locked in position by means of locking screw39 which has a threaded portion 49 which is threaded in an oppositedirection to the threads on the elongated portion 21. Advantageously,the screw 39 is rotated until the head enters recess 41 in the shank 10.Thus the head 12 is locked into position relative to the shank 1t and inthis position the head 12 secures the apron 14 between the head 12 andthe shank 1%, such that the combination defines one style of jewelry. Ifit is desired to convert the jewelry to a diflerent style, locking screw39 is released, and the head 12 is rotated to move the head 12 away fromthe shank 1%, thus permitting the apron 14 to be rotated to a positionsuch as dotted line position 16 or 18 in FIGURE 1. The head is againrotated in a direction to move toward the shank It), thus causing a newpair of recesses 33, best seen in FIGURE 5, snugly to engage the shank10. The locking screw is again inserted and rotated to enter the recess41 and again lock the head 12 relative ,to the shank 10. i

The apron 14 is shown in plan view in FIGURE 3. Edge 29 of the aperturewhich receives the head 12 is shown as circular and the flange 25 isshown to have a circular aperture 27 therein.

FIGURE 5 shows a partial view in elevation of the embodiment of FIGURE 1which includes the various recesses, or notches, 33 at various positionson the lower surface of the apron 14.

FIGURE 6 shows a view in elevation, partly in section, of anotherillustrative embodiment of this invention in which a head 44 is lockedinto position relative to a shank 42 by means of a locking screw 43. Thehead 44 retains an apron 45 in co-operating position contiguous theshank 42, and head 44 prevents rotation of the apron 45. Ad-

As best seen in FIGURE 8, the apron 45 has a polygonal well 50, which inthis instance is shown as a square,

which well terminates in a flange 52 having an aperture 54 therein.Advantageously, the head 44 has a co-operating polygonal cross sectionin the region of its base 56, wherein the polygonal base 56 snuglyengages the well to prevent relative rotation between the head 44 andthe apron 45. Thus the number of positional relationships availablebetween the apron 45 and the shank 42 is determined by the number ofsides on the polygonal well. These various positions may be effected byremoving the head 44 and the intermediate apron 45, rotating the apronto the desired position relative to the head 44 and again inserting theelongated portion 61 in the threaded aperture 62 of the shank 42,.androtating the shank until the elongated portion 61 has reached itslimiting position. The locking screw 43 is inserted in the oppositelythreaded recess 64 and rotated until the screw head 57 enters the recess59 of the shank 42 and snugly engages the shank.

FIGURE 9 shows still another illustrative embodiment of this inventionin which the head member 65 is threadably engaged with the base member67 to retain an apron 68 intermediate the head member and base memberand the locking member 70 retains the head member 65 in engagement withthe base member 67. Advantageously, the locking member 70 'is a bolthaving an enlarged, or flange portion, 72 thereon, which flange portionengages the shoulder 74 in the base member 67 to perform a lockingfunction. A plate 76 is secured to the base member 67, which plate hasan aperture 78 therein. The aperture has a diameter insufficient topermit the passage of the enlarged portion 72 of the locking member 70therethrough, while the aperture is sufliciently large to permit a toolto be inserted therein whereby the locking member can be actuated. Thus,when the locking member is disengaged from the head 65, it is retainedin the base member 67.

While I have shown and described several illustrative embodiments ofthis invention, it is understood that the concepts embodied therein maybe employed in other articles of jewelry such as earrings and broocheswithout departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Forexample, the jewelry may be disassembled and other shapes of apronsubstituted to present a distinct appearance.

What is claimed is:

1. A multiple styled article of jewelry comprising in combination, anarcuate shaped shank having an aperture therein, a removable headcomprising a first decorative member and including means holding apermanently set solitaire gem therein, threaded retaining means aflixedto the head for insertion into said aperture to retain said head on saidshank to form therewith a basic solitaire style article of jewelry,locking means for aflixing the head to the shank by engagement with saidretaining means, decorative means, including a second removable apronmember between said first member and shank, said second member beingsubstantially larger than said head extending circumterentially beyondthe head, said decorative means being conformed to the contour of theshank to thereby convert the solitaire style into a massive cocktailstyle article of jewelry, interfitting means between the head and theapron to merge the two decorative members into an integrated stylingwherein the interfitting means includes a surface on the apron facingand engaged by the head assembly to hold the apron in place on saidshank, and a second surface of said apron facing the shank and havinggrooves engaging it to prevent relative rotation between the apron, headand shank.

2. An article, as defined in claim 1, wherein said apron has a major andminor axis and includes additional grooves in said second surface toengage the shank to hold the axes at diiferent angles relative to theshank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS GreatBritain Sept. 22, 1936

1. A MULTIPLE STYLED ARTICLE OF JEWELRY COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, ANARCUATE SHAPED SHANK HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN, A REMOVABLE HEADCOMPRISING A FIRST DECORATIVE MEMBER AND INCLUDING MEANS HOLDING APERMANENTLY SET SOLITAIRE GEM THEREIN, THREADED RETAINING MEANS AFFIXEDTO THE HEAD FOPR INSERTION INTO SAID APERTURE TO RETAIN SAID HEAD ONSAID SHANK TO FORM THEREWITH A BASIC SOLITAIRE STYLE ARTICLE OF JEWELRY,LOCKING MEANS FOR AFFIXING THE HEAD TO THE SHANK BY ENGAGEMENT WITH SAIDRETAINING MEANS, DECORATIVE MEANS, INCLUDING A SECOND REMOVABLE APRONMEMBER BETWEEN SAID FIRST MEMBER AND SHANK, SAID SECOND MEMBER BEINGSUBSTANTIALLY LARGER THAN SAID HEAD EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY BEYONDTHE HEAD, SAID DECORATIVE MEANS BEING CONFORMED TO THE CONTOUR OF THESHANK TO THEREBY CONVERT THE SOLITAIRE STYLE INTO A MASSIVE COCKTAILSTYLE ARTICLE OF JEWELRY, INTERFITTING MEANS BETWEEN THE HEAD AND THEAPRON TO MERGE THE TWO DECORATIVE MEMBERS INTO AND INTEGRATED STYLINGWHEREIN THE INTERFITTING MEANS INCLUDES A SURFACE ON THE APRON FACINGAND ENGAGED BY THE HEAD ASSEMBLY TO HOLD THE APRON IN PLACE ON SAIDSHANK, AND A SECOND SURFACE OF SAID APRON FACING THE SHANK AND HAVINGGROOVES ENGAGING TI TO PREVENT RELATIVE ROTATION BETWEEN THE APRON, HEADAND SHANK.